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Explore our planet through photography and imagery, including climate change and water all the way back to the 1800s when the USGS was surveying the country by horse and buggy.

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Hoplitis spoliata, f, face, pwrc, md
Hoplitis spoliata, f, face, pwrc, md
Hoplitis spoliata, f, face, pwrc, md

A large Hoplitis, that occurs throughout most of North America East of the Rockies. Occurs in low numbers at most locations, in the Mid-Atlantic is is a June bee and associated with what would appear to be mostly Woody blooming plants. Something to consider in your planting pollinator plans... don't forget the blooming shrubs and small trees.

A large Hoplitis, that occurs throughout most of North America East of the Rockies. Occurs in low numbers at most locations, in the Mid-Atlantic is is a June bee and associated with what would appear to be mostly Woody blooming plants. Something to consider in your planting pollinator plans... don't forget the blooming shrubs and small trees.

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Hoplitis spoliata, f, right, Kent County MD
Hoplitis spoliata, f, right, Kent County MD
Hoplitis spoliata, f, right, Kent County MD

A large Hoplitis, that occurs throughout most of North America East of the Rockies. Occurs in low numbers at most locations, in the Mid-Atlantic is is a June bee and associated with what would appear to be mostly Woody blooming plants. Something to consider in your planting pollinator plans... don't forget the blooming shrubs and small trees.

A large Hoplitis, that occurs throughout most of North America East of the Rockies. Occurs in low numbers at most locations, in the Mid-Atlantic is is a June bee and associated with what would appear to be mostly Woody blooming plants. Something to consider in your planting pollinator plans... don't forget the blooming shrubs and small trees.

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Hoplitis spoliata, male, face, NY, Franklin Co
Hoplitis spoliata, male, face, NY, Franklin Co
Hoplitis spoliata, male, face, NY, Franklin Co

Sometimes male bees depart from the standard antennae shapes for some sort of new performance specs. No body seems to be studying why this might be, but there is substantive research on how incredible antennae can be at detecting just a few molecules.

Sometimes male bees depart from the standard antennae shapes for some sort of new performance specs. No body seems to be studying why this might be, but there is substantive research on how incredible antennae can be at detecting just a few molecules.

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Hoplitis spoliata, male, side, NY, Franklin Co
Hoplitis spoliata, male, side, NY, Franklin Co
Hoplitis spoliata, male, side, NY, Franklin Co

Sometimes male bees depart from the standard antennae shapes for some sort of new performance specs. No body seems to be studying why this might be, but there is substantive research on how incredible antennae can be at detecting just a few molecules.

Sometimes male bees depart from the standard antennae shapes for some sort of new performance specs. No body seems to be studying why this might be, but there is substantive research on how incredible antennae can be at detecting just a few molecules.

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Hoplitis tigrina, M, Back, Greece, Aegean Islands, Lesvos, Sisil
Hoplitis tigrina, M, Back, Greece, Aegean Islands, Lesvos, Sisil
Hoplitis tigrina, M, Back, Greece, Aegean Islands, Lesvos, Sisil

Aegean islands...have this lovely bee Jelle Devalez (the finder of this bee) writes: "Hoplitis tigrina: one of the largest species of Hoplitis usually found on large purple thistles." And so we must love purple thistles.

Aegean islands...have this lovely bee Jelle Devalez (the finder of this bee) writes: "Hoplitis tigrina: one of the largest species of Hoplitis usually found on large purple thistles." And so we must love purple thistles.

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Hoplitis tigrina, M, Face, Greece, Aegean Islands, Lesvos, Sisil
Hoplitis tigrina, M, Face, Greece, Aegean Islands, Lesvos, Sisil
Hoplitis tigrina, M, Face, Greece, Aegean Islands, Lesvos, Sisil

Aegean islands...have this lovely bee Jelle Devalez (the finder of this bee) writes: "Hoplitis tigrina: one of the largest species of Hoplitis usually found on large purple thistles." And so we must love purple thistles.

Aegean islands...have this lovely bee Jelle Devalez (the finder of this bee) writes: "Hoplitis tigrina: one of the largest species of Hoplitis usually found on large purple thistles." And so we must love purple thistles.

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Hoplitis tigrina, M, Side, Greece, Aegean Islands, Lesvos, Sisil
Hoplitis tigrina, M, Side, Greece, Aegean Islands, Lesvos, Sisil
Hoplitis tigrina, M, Side, Greece, Aegean Islands, Lesvos, Sisil

Aegean islands...have this lovely bee Jelle Devalez (the finder of this bee) writes: "Hoplitis tigrina: one of the largest species of Hoplitis usually found on large purple thistles." And so we must love purple thistles.

Aegean islands...have this lovely bee Jelle Devalez (the finder of this bee) writes: "Hoplitis tigrina: one of the largest species of Hoplitis usually found on large purple thistles." And so we must love purple thistles.

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Hoplitis truncata, m, back, Prince George's Co., MD
Hoplitis truncata, m, back, Prince George's Co., MD
Hoplitis truncata, m, back, Prince George's Co., MD

Hoplitis truncata. An uncommon Hoplitis that shows up here and there, but never in large numbers. Not well known and its roll and preferences in the world of flowers is also unclear. This is a rather ratty male I collected somewhere near home...will have to keep my eyes open for additional specimens.

Hoplitis truncata. An uncommon Hoplitis that shows up here and there, but never in large numbers. Not well known and its roll and preferences in the world of flowers is also unclear. This is a rather ratty male I collected somewhere near home...will have to keep my eyes open for additional specimens.

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Hoplitis truncata, m, face, Prince George's Co., MD
Hoplitis truncata, m, face, Prince George's Co., MD
Hoplitis truncata, m, face, Prince George's Co., MD

Hoplitis truncata. An uncommon Hoplitis that shows up here and there, but never in large numbers. Not well known and its roll and preferences in the world of flowers is also unclear. This is a rather ratty male I collected somewhere near home...will have to keep my eyes open for additional specimens.

Hoplitis truncata. An uncommon Hoplitis that shows up here and there, but never in large numbers. Not well known and its roll and preferences in the world of flowers is also unclear. This is a rather ratty male I collected somewhere near home...will have to keep my eyes open for additional specimens.

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Hoplitis truncata, m, left side, Prince George's Co., MD
Hoplitis truncata, m, left side, Prince George's Co., MD
Hoplitis truncata, m, left side, Prince George's Co., MD

Hoplitis truncata. An uncommon Hoplitis that shows up here and there, but never in large numbers. Not well known and its roll and preferences in the world of flowers is also unclear. This is a rather ratty male I collected somewhere near home...will have to keep my eyes open for additional specimens.

Hoplitis truncata. An uncommon Hoplitis that shows up here and there, but never in large numbers. Not well known and its roll and preferences in the world of flowers is also unclear. This is a rather ratty male I collected somewhere near home...will have to keep my eyes open for additional specimens.

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Hoplitis-fulgida,-female,-side
Hoplitis-fulgida,-female,-side
Hoplitis-fulgida,-female,-side

Hoplitis fulgida, female, Grand Tetons National Park, August 2010

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Hoplitis-fulgida,-male,-side
Hoplitis-fulgida,-male,-side
Hoplitis-fulgida,-male,-side

Hoplitis fulgida, male, Grand Tetons National Park, August 2010

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horse nettle tortoise beetle, md, face, talbot
horse nettle tortoise beetle, md, face, talbot
horse nettle tortoise beetle, md, face, talbot

Need an ID Beetle Heads...This is a lovely tortoise beetle that Ashley Bradford showed me at Pickering Creek Audubon Sanctuary BioBlitz where all the it nature heads gathered to talk about how the natural world was going to hell, except for places like Pickering Creek.

Need an ID Beetle Heads...This is a lovely tortoise beetle that Ashley Bradford showed me at Pickering Creek Audubon Sanctuary BioBlitz where all the it nature heads gathered to talk about how the natural world was going to hell, except for places like Pickering Creek.

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House centipede, face, beltsville
House centipede, face, beltsville
House centipede, face, beltsville

Scutigera coleoptrata, the house centipede, collected by one of the interns in her house. Photograph by Sue Boo.Canon Mark II 5D, Zerene Stacker, Stackshot Sled, 65mm Canon MP-E 1-5X macro lens, Twin Macro Flash in Styrofoam Cooler, F5.0, ISO 100, Shutter Speed 200, link to a .pdf of our set up is located in our profile

Scutigera coleoptrata, the house centipede, collected by one of the interns in her house. Photograph by Sue Boo.Canon Mark II 5D, Zerene Stacker, Stackshot Sled, 65mm Canon MP-E 1-5X macro lens, Twin Macro Flash in Styrofoam Cooler, F5.0, ISO 100, Shutter Speed 200, link to a .pdf of our set up is located in our profile

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House centipede, side, beltsville
House centipede, side, beltsville
House centipede, side, beltsville

Scutigera coleoptrata, the house centipede, collected by one of the interns in her house.

Scutigera coleoptrata, the house centipede, collected by one of the interns in her house.

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House Finch, M, side of face, Convention Center, 5.25.12
House Finch, M, side of face, Convention Center, 5.25.12
House Finch, M, side of face, Convention Center, 5.25.12

House Finch, Carpodacus mexicanus, dead after likely striking the DC Convention Center building

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Houstonia caerulaea, 2, Common Bluets, Howard County, Md,
Houstonia caerulaea, 2, Common Bluets, Howard County, Md,
Houstonia caerulaea, 2, Common Bluets, Howard County, Md,

Bluets, or Quaker Ladies. Their delicate loveliness does not quite shouw up in these pictures...forming little clumps in poor soils and a part of spring I wait for each year. Specimen and photos from Helen Low Metzman.

Bluets, or Quaker Ladies. Their delicate loveliness does not quite shouw up in these pictures...forming little clumps in poor soils and a part of spring I wait for each year. Specimen and photos from Helen Low Metzman.

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Houstonia caerulaea, 3, Common Bluets, Howard County, Md,
Houstonia caerulaea, 3, Common Bluets, Howard County, Md,
Houstonia caerulaea, 3, Common Bluets, Howard County, Md,

Bluets, or Quaker Ladies. Their delicate loveliness does not quite shouw up in these pictures...forming little clumps in poor soils and a part of spring I wait for each year. Specimen and photos from Helen Low Metzman.

Bluets, or Quaker Ladies. Their delicate loveliness does not quite shouw up in these pictures...forming little clumps in poor soils and a part of spring I wait for each year. Specimen and photos from Helen Low Metzman.

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Houstonia caerulaea, Common Bluets, Howard County, Md,
Houstonia caerulaea, Common Bluets, Howard County, Md,
Houstonia caerulaea, Common Bluets, Howard County, Md,

Bluets, or Quaker Ladies. Their delicate loveliness does not quite shouw up in these pictures...forming little clumps in poor soils and a part of spring I wait for each year. Specimen and photos from Helen Low Metzman.

Bluets, or Quaker Ladies. Their delicate loveliness does not quite shouw up in these pictures...forming little clumps in poor soils and a part of spring I wait for each year. Specimen and photos from Helen Low Metzman.

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Houstonia longifolia, long-leaved bluet, Howard County, MD, Helen Lowe Metzman
Houstonia longifolia, long-leaved bluet, Howard County, MD, Helen Lowe Metzman
Houstonia longifolia, long-leaved bluet, Howard County, MD, Helen Lowe Metzman

Houstonia longifolia, one of the bluets of the region. Tiny flowers have tiny bees going to them. Specimen and photographs by Helen Lowe Metzman.

Houstonia longifolia, one of the bluets of the region. Tiny flowers have tiny bees going to them. Specimen and photographs by Helen Lowe Metzman.

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Hydrastis canadensis 2, Goldenseal flower, Howard County, MD, Helen Lowe Metzman
Hydrastis canadensis 2, Goldenseal flower, Howard County, MD, Helen Lowe Metzman
Hydrastis canadensis 2, Goldenseal flower, Howard County, MD, Helen Lowe Metzman

Goldenseal. Hydrastis canadensis. Another early spring bloomer. A long history as a native medicinal plant on the continent. Helen Low Metzman collected the specimen and took the picture.

Goldenseal. Hydrastis canadensis. Another early spring bloomer. A long history as a native medicinal plant on the continent. Helen Low Metzman collected the specimen and took the picture.